The Softstart Incubator has announced the resignation of its founding CEO, Ben Zaaiman, with effect from 31 August 2005.
However, Softstart has not lost Zaaiman totally, as he remains within the incubator in a somewhat different capacity.
Zaaiman, who has established an exciting new software company, Memio Software (Pty) Ltd, will run it full-time as CEO.
Memio has signed a client agreement with Softstart as one of its newest incubator tenants. Nicoli Koorbanally, previously the Business Development and Alliances Manager of Softstart, has been appointed as Softstart's acting CEO.
Three-and-a-half years after taking on the role as CEO of Softstart, Zaaiman commented: "When I took on this wonderful and rewarding role in 2001, I told my board that I would commit to three years of solid effort and energy before I expected the call of entrepreneurship to become too strong yet again."
Zaaiman, who was responsible for establishing the first Softstart facility consisting of a mere 10 seats squeezed into 500m2, led the incubator through several rounds of expansion.
"More important than building the facility has been building the wonderfully professional incubation team that currently runs Softstart," he says. "I have been in the immensely fortunate position to have been able to help take Softstart to the first plateau of success," says Zaaiman.
"Now, with the incubator solidly established and a good-sized first endowment for expansion in the bank, it will be the job of the next generation of managers to build toward our exciting vision of an impactful, substantial facility. I wish them all the best and am confident they have all the skills, abilities and drive to see this strategy to success."
Memio Software will participate in DEMOfall 2005, an exclusive conference focused on technology innovation, in California from 19 to 21 September 2005.
Softstart assists early stage ICT entrepreneurs with mentoring and support in the strategy and practice of growing a sustainable business. Softstart improves enterprise performance, enhances profitability and growth, and offers technology and management support to South African SMMEs to enable them to develop their innovations to full commercial potential. Softstart is supported by the GODISA Trust of the departments of science and technology and trade and industry, and its founders include inter alia, the CSIR, University of Pretoria and the Tshwane University of Technology.
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